Winter Convocation 2004

Vantrice Taylor '04

If there is one thing I have learned from being in college it is that no one can make it in this world alone. There have been many people along the way that have walked with me, supported me, and loved me. From these people I have been given the example of what it means to give to others.

Everyone needs someone at one time or another. When someone is in need, you do not wait to see who else is going to do something. When possible, you step up and do what needs to be done.

In today’s world too many people think of giving in terms of dollars and cents. Regardless of who we are everyone can be of service to others. Giving back can be anything from helping to build self-esteem in children living homeless shelters through play, educating others on the facts surrounding HIV/AIDS, teaching adults to read, delivering meals to sick patients, or tutoring children at a local Boys and Girls Club. Over the years I have done all these things, and the only thing I had to give was a part of myself. Sometimes the best thing we can offer others is our time and ourselves.

Many of us here tonight are members of the class of 2004, and our Holy Cross careers will soon be coming to an end. Going to college is a privilege and a blessing, so it is not enough to just sit in a classroom and memorize facts and figures. There is a difference between learning and understanding. To know about and see people in need and not act on it is to be a part of the problem, and let’s face it, there are a lot of big problems facing the world. Far too many people underestimate the power of a few individuals. For an individual to change even one person’s life in some way for the better is worth it. It is time to put this Holy Cross education and philosophy to work. We must take what we have learned in and outside the classroom and apply it to the world. It is time for us to transition from the back of the class as students to the front as the teachers and leaders of tomorrow.